Judge Joseph Kirby

In 1991, he entered law school at the University of Detroit-Mercy School of Law in Detroit, Michigan. After his first year, he transferred and ultimately graduated from Salmon P. Chase College of Law, with a Juris-Doctorate degree and was admitted to the practice of law before the Ohio Supreme Court in November, 1995.

Prior to taking the bench, Judge Kirby was a partner in a law firm in Springboro, Ohio whose practice consisted primarily of criminal defense, personal injury and family law.

In 1996, he was appointed a part-time magistrate in the Warren County Juvenile Court, presiding over cases involving delinquent and unruly children, and child support matters.

In 2005, Governor Bob Taft appointed him as the Area II Judge of Warren County Court, presiding over cases involving misdemeanor criminal, traffic and civil disputes for the southern part of Warren County. In 2006 and 2012, he ran unopposed in the general election to retain his seat.

In April of 2013, Governor John Kasich appointed him as the Judge of Warren County Probate/Juvenile Court. This court has over 100 personnel; two separate courts: one for juvenile and one for probate; two fully-staffed clerk’s office, four magistrates, one of which also serves as a mediator, four bailiffs, a probation department; a juvenile detention center and a secured rehabilitation center. In 2014 he ran unopposed in both the primary and general election to retain his seat.

Beginning in August 2016, he serves as an adjunct professor at Miami University Hamilton teaching a course in criminal justice.

Judge Kirby also served in the United States Air Force Reserve. In 1982, he joined AFROTC at Miami University, Ohio. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Miami University in 1986. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Air Force upon graduation.

He served as the Duty Officer for the Air Terminal Operations Center, 40th Mobile Aerial Port Squadron, Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Ohio from 1987 to 1988. He then joined the 89th Tactical Fighter Squadron in 1988 and served in the capacity as Operations Management Officer from 1988 to 1996. During this time the unit converted from the F-4D Phantom II to the F-16A/B Fighting Falcon, and was deactivated in 1994. Later that same year, the unit was reactivated as the 89th Airlift Squadron, flying the C-141 Starlifter and C-5 Galaxy.

In 1996, he attended the Judge Advocate Staff Officer Course at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama and emerged as a judge advocate for the United States Air Force Reserve. He served as an Individual Mobilization Augmentee for the 9005th Air Reserve Squadron in Denver, Colorado and was attached for training to the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate within the 88th Air Base Wing, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. In 1998, he joined the 445th Airlift Wing and served as the Deputy Staff Judge Advocate, providing legal advice to the wing and squadron commanders, and over 2,000 assigned personnel. In December 2008, he was Honorably Discharged after twenty-two years of service. He retired at the rank of major.

He is admitted to practice before all courts and agencies in the State of Ohio and in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, the Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, and the United States Supreme Court.

He was a prior member of the Ohio Association of Magistrates, the Association of Municipal/County Judges of Ohio, and is a current member of the Warren County Bar Association, Ohio Association of Juvenile Court Judges and the Ohio Association of Probate Judges.